Contract Extension in Montclair

I’m truly thrilled to be announcing today that I have signed a new seven-year contract with the Montclair Orchestra, meaning that I will have the opportunity to continue shaping the orchestra through the end its first decade.

The Montclair Orchestra’s inaugural concert, on October 22, 2017.

When I accepted the music directorship of this brand-new organization back in November 2016, I honestly had very little idea what to expect. I did have some conducting under my belt, as well as ample experience with new projects and as an artistic director. And of course I was no stranger to working with students or to musical leadership in general.

But for all the promise of the new organization, there were many questions: for example, how would the concept of blending professionals, students, and even a few select amateurs — beautiful in principle — work in practice? Would we be able to raise the requisite funds for our ambitious programming? How would we be received by a community that was extremely rich in culture but hadn’t had its own resident orchestra in nearly a century? And not least, how would an orchestra full of musicians who had never played together sound at our first concert?

I had nearly a full year before the orchestra’s inaugural concert to agonize about such questions and many others. But when we finally stepped into the rehearsal room for the first time and the imposing opening chords of Verdi’s Overture to La forza del destino rang out, it was clear that the quality of the musical experience was going to be high. Each and every meeting of the Montclair Orchestra since that time has been blessed with the highest levels of musicianship, sharing, and enthusiasm from professionals and students alike; this group attacks Mahler symphonies and coffee and donuts with equal gusto.

Indeed, it’s no exaggeration to say that working with the Montclair Orchestra over the past three seasons has been one of the most exciting and fulfilling projects of my entire career. The questions of our early days have not gone away; they have just been replaced by different ones, the type that come with success and growth. But the public and critics are beginning to notice what we’re doing, and I’m hopeful that, in the long run, our unique mission as a training orchestra can help influence music education at the highest levels. I’m grateful to the organization for their long-term commitment to me with this new contract, and am excited about what new adventures the next seven years will bring.

photos by Adam Anik